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“Being brave is not the absence of fear,” Lycus murmurs, reaching for me. “It is how you use it, harness it, and control it. I was terrified every time I rode into battle, terrified of dying and losing my men, but I didn’t let it stop me, and you will not let it stop you either.”
“Think of all the people we will be helping. Think of everyone who’s suffering right now and depending on us. Think of the lives we will save,” Reve offers solemnly.
“That is what it means to be a judge,” Zale states.
“To be us,” Osis adds.
“Together, we can defeat anything,” Conall says as he looks around. “They will not break this court. They will not take your family, Althea. We can promise that, as long as you promise to be right there with us.”
Fear is an emotion, but courage? Courage is a decision—a decision not to let fear win. Despite being afraid, I will continue to move forward.
Taking a deep breath, I blow it out and smile at them, flashing fang. “You are right. Tomorrow, we will show them what being a court really means. We will bring the Court of Nightmares back into our world, and we will cleanse it of all those willing to be the end of our race like the gods wish. After, we get our happiness together. There is no other option.” I look around, meeting each of their eyes. “Understood? Not one of us dies or gets hurt tomorrow. We will be in charge, and we do not play their games. No, they play ours.”
“We will show them what nightmares are capable of.” Nathair grins, and it’s cruel and so sexy, I wiggle. His eyes burn like he knows my thoughts, so I quickly look away so I don’t get distracted by sex, but my eyes land on Lycus, whose fangs have grown from the scent of my need in the air.
“We should feed,” I say, “to make sure we are all at our strongest.”
“Fuck yes. Get your pretty ass over here for me, baby,” Reve purrs.
“Or you get your pretty ass here,” I retort, running my nail down my neck. After all, what better way to confirm our bonding than to offer comfort by feeding and fucking?
Lycus moves, grabbing me and throwing me onto the table. He lays me out like a feast as I giggle, which soon turns into a scream as they sink their fangs into my body.
CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE
ALTHEA
Iknow I’m dreaming. I can tell because Reve has been teaching me his dream walking abilities. I might not be as good as him, but I can “wake” myself, as he calls it. There’s a dreamy quality to the vision, and the edges are jagged if I touch them. I’m being shown what whoever has pulled me here wants.
It doesn’t feel kind or even like destiny like the other times.
I went to sleep surrounded by my men, my skin coated in our blood and cum from our feeding frenzy, and then I suddenly found myself here.
We are standing in a busy street in the city, but it’s empty now. There are dark skyscrapers on either side of us, and the moon hangs high above us.
There’s a man before me, his wide shoulders and muscular back concealed by a black suit. An ornate crown sits atop his head. When his voice comes, it’s dark and cruel, and there’s a familiar note to it, but I can’t place it.
“I wondered if it would work,” he offers. “Using the blood.”
I continue to stare, and he chuckles.
“There was blood left at the scene of the killings, so I followed it and tracked down those responsible. No one who was there would speak, not about what they saw, but I hoard information, like some of our own kind willing to decimate a full court. That piqued my interest.” He turns, and for a moment, he freezes, his eyes widening. “Impossible, you should be dead.”
“Not impossible, difficult,” I retort, my own shock quickly turning into anger. “But breaking our bond didn’t kill me.”
Standing there, filled with righteous energy, is my old mate.
The king who rejected me.
He looks the exact same, yet he watches me like I am completely different. I know I look the same, but I carry myself differently now. Gone is the timid, scared, young vamp, and in her place is an experienced killer and seductress. For a moment, his eyes run hungrily down my body, and a spark of anger flares within me.
“So you are the one who is killing your own kind? You couldn’t handle the rejection, so you’re taking it out on everyone else?” he taunts.
“Not really.” I smirk. “You didn’t matter that much. I’m simply ridding our race of evil. It has nothing to do with you.”
He wanders closer, reaching out as if to touch me, so I step back, knowing touch will give him power over me. He could even use it to find me. As it is, I’m blocking as much as I can so he cannot go any further, all the while kicking myself. Even a drop of blood can be used against me, I know that, and he’s here, proving it.
The ball is tomorrow, yet he couldn’t wait.
